Beyoncé and Solange’s family comes out of this Creole context. Their maternal grandparents, Lumas Albert Boyancé and Agnès Derouen, were natives of Petite-Anse and Lake Peigneur in Iberia and Vermilion Parishes, born there in 1910 and 1909, respectively. In that region of Louisiana, in the first half of the 20^th century, Louisiana Creoles remained staunchly Roman Catholic, monolingual Francophone or Creolophone, residences and Catholic churches in the region continued to be integrated, and communities were overwhelmingly endogamous, and had been for generations. Jim Crow had not fully impinged on the region’s Creole culture.¹Agnès Derouen was born 1 July 1909: Église Notre-Dame-du-Lac [Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church] (Delcambre, La.), baptêmes, vol. 2, p. 178. Lumas Albert Boyancé was born 22 May 1910: Social security death index, Lumis Buyince, Aug 1982, Galveston, Tex.

To better illustrate the degree to which Petite-Anse’s families cohered around intermarriage, fluid race relations, Roman Catholicism, and Latin languages, we can look at Agnès’s family. She was the last of 16 children born to the marriage of Eugène Derouen and Odilia Broussard. Eugène and Odilia were both born in Petite-Anse in 1860 and 1865. Their families were literally neighbors beginning 3 generations before their births. Eugène’s parents are still unknown, but he almost certainly is a son of Éloi Derouen and one of his many slaves. Éloi was born in 1807 to the union of Jacques Derouen and Marie Charlotte Leleu. Odilia Broussard was one of 13 children born to Éloi-René Broussard and Célestine Joséphine “Tine” Lacy, his mulâtresse domestic servant. Éloi-René, born in 1824, was a son of Rosémond Broussard and Adéline Joséphine “Adèle” Broussard. The first US federal census for Louisiana after the 1803 purchase was in 1810. There, we find the Derouen, Broussard, Leleu families nestled together at Petite-Anse on page 24 of the Attakapas District. Those families, in addition to the Romero, Segura, and Dooley families would remain neighbors throughout the 19^th century up to the present day.²1810 US census, Louisiana, Attacapas, locale not stated, page 90, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-25139-18561-33?cc=1803765 : accessed 7 June 2016. Neighbors from top of page to bottom: Thomas Berwick, W^m [William] Newman, Elijah L. Rhea, Sam^l  [Samuel] McMurtrey, Luke Brian, W^m Rochel, Franc^s [François] Leleu, Franc^s Leleu Jr, Joseph Derouën, Colas [Nicolas] Broussard, Doming^o Domingue, Jacque de Rouën, David Heys [Hayes], W^m Garret, John Harrington, Malaga [Malakhai] Heys, Michel [Michael] Heys, Raph^l [Raphaël] Broussard, Joseph Petit René, Agricole Come [Côme], Le Blanc, P^re [Pierre] Bonvilain, Joe [Joseph] Féniant. Colas Broussard was Éloi-René’s great-uncle. 1820 US census, Louisiana, St. Martin Parish, locale not stated, page 13, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-25143-18070-69?cc=1803955 : accessed 7 June 2016. Neighbors on page 13, from top to bottom: W. Darby, Jean Romero, M. B. Romero, Antoine Romero, Michel Romero, Raphael [Raphaël] Sigur [Segura], Francois Segur [François Segura], Antoine Biator [Viator], Francois Segur, Jean Gravier, Bernard Miges [Mígues], Salvator Miges [Mígues], Joseph Biator, Dominick Dominges [Dominique Domíngues], Pepe Dominges, Francois Lele [Leleu], Louis D’Ortreuil [Dautreuil], Francois Lele fils [François Leleu Jr], Pierre Arceneaux, Alexandre Arceneaux, Rosemond [Rosémond] Broussard, Charles Ramon, Jesse McCall, John Hayes. 1830 US census, Louisiana, St. Martin Parish, locale not stated, page 113, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-25142-46169-81?cc=1803958 : accessed 7 June 2016. Neighbors on page 113, from top to bottom: Mrs. Stine [Stein], John Stine, C. Guyon, Josiah French, Nelson Johnston, Louis Segura, Daniel Norris, Joachim Etié, B^d Migues Sr [Bernard Mígues Sr], Dr. J. L. Smith, Eloi Derouan, Joseph Derouan, Augustin Derouan, David Hayes, W^m Dooley, Onézime Giroir, Jacob [Jacques] Derouan, Dominguez Dominguez, François Leleu, Horatio Stansbury, Delphin Leleu, John Hayes, Harpin Gonsoulin, L^s [Louis] Leleu, B^d Migues Jr. The Broussards are on the next 2 pages (114-15). 1850 US census, Louisiana, St. Martin Parish, 18 November 1850, page 84, G. G. Fournet enumerator, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11775-146733-26?cc=1401638 : accessed 7 June 2016. Neighbors on page 84, from top to bottom: Norval Bonin and family, Rosemond Broussard and family, Eloi Broussard and family, Eloi Derouen and family, Belisaire [Bélisaire] Miguez and family, Auguste Bergerie [Bergérie] and family, William Dooley and family.

Although Éloi-René married Rose Hébert in 1845, he spent most of his adult years in open concubinage with Tine Lacey, who was a daughter of Joseph Lacey, a white American merchant living in the area, and Rosalie Jean-Louis, a slave. Éloi-René and Tine’s story was not one of rape, it was one of an open and acknowledged relationship. The couple did not take advantage of the 1868 Louisiana constitution, which permitted interracial marriages, like so many other couples did. But Éloi-René acknowledged paternity of all of his 13 children with Tine in their births and marriages. Acknowledging paternity customarily required the father being present at the civil or parochial ceremony and stating that he was the natural father of the child in question. Éloi-René was present at the first of their 13 children’s marriage in 1872, and at the last while he was still alive. In addition, Éloi-René reared his children with Tine in his home and in censuses, as head of household, recognized the 13 children as his sons and daughters. Nine of these children, including Beyoncé and Solange’s great-grandmother, would marry children with white Creole fathers and Creole mothers of color. All of those children married Creoles who were from Petite-Anse or neighboring communities.³For an index of mixed marriages in Louisiana Creole communities, click here. Éloi-René Broussard married Rose Hébert, daughter of Exubert Hébert and Octavie Hébert, on 27 January 1845: Église Saint-Pierre [St. Peter Catholic Church] (New Iberia, La.), mariages, vol. 1, p. 63. 1860 US census, Louisiana, St. Mary Parish, Western District, 27 June 1860, Joseph Gautreaux enumerator, page 46,  J. E. Lacey, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-25267-3519-86?cc=1473181 : accessed 7 June 2016; Josephine Lessee [sic] died 7 May 1922 in Iberia Parish, age 95, parents Joseph Lessee and Rosalie Jeanlouis: Louisiana Deaths, Iberia Parish, vol. 13, p. 5912. Éloi-René acknowledged paternity in the following parochial records: Édouard Modérant Broussard’s birth, 21 October 1868, St. Peter Catholic Church, baptêmes, vol. 2, p. 8; Ovide Broussard’s birth, 27 Feb 1871, St. Peter Catholic Church,baptêmes, vol. 2, p. 111; Pierre Broussard’s marriage to Marcéline Delcambre, daughter of Louis Delcambre and Marcélite Landry, 27 December 1872: St. Peter Catholic Church, mariages, vol. 2, p. 175; Julien Aurélien Broussard’s marriage to Rosalie Louvière, daughter of Édouard Louvière and Marie Marguerite Leleux, 19 March 1873: St. Peter Catholic Church, vol. 2, p. 227; Joseph Broussard’s marriage to Victoria Derouen, daughter of Debira Derouen and Ursules Jupiter-Girouard, 17 September 1878: St. Peter Catholic Church, mariages, vol. 3, p. 74; Louis Broussard’s marriage to Olivanie Dugas, daughter of Joseph Dugas and Marie Louvière, 21 July 1879: St. Peter Catholic Church, mariages, vol. 3, p. 96; Jean Broussard’s marriage to Marie Collette, daughter of Joseph Collette and Annette Ducongé, 1 May 1883: St. Peter Catholic Church, mariages, vol. 3, p. 182. 1880 US census, Louisiana, Iberia Parish, 7^th Ward, enumeration district 32, 1^st June 1880, O. B. Doumengé enumerator, page 3, dwelling 24, family 26: Broussard, E. R.

Lumas’s family, who were from nearby Lake Peigneur, had a similar story. Lumas’s grandfather, Jean Boyancé II of Noaillac, France settled near Lake Peigneur in rural Lafayette Parish in the 1850s. There, he began a relationship with Angéline Élisabeth Green, a mulâtresse slave, presumably belonging to the Duhon family from the area. Angéline bore 2 sons for Jean. The eldest, Alexandre, was born in March 1859, and the youngest, who bore his father’s name, was born around 1862. Jean II eventually married Louise Dubois, a Creole native of Abbéville (Vermilion Parish), in 1866. They had 1 son, also named Jean, who died at 5 days old in 1873. Alexandre Boyancé first married Élisabeth “Elizabeth” Broussard, daughter of Bernard Broussard and Célima Malveaux, in 1883 and together they produced 6 known children. Three of those children married Petite-Anse Broussard and Segura families. After Élisabeth died, Alexandre remarried Marie Olivier in 1900, whose first husband, Ovide Broussard (Éloi-René and Joséphine’s baby son) predeceased her. Four children were born to Alexandre and Marie’s marriage, and Lumas Albert Boyancé was their last, born 22 May 1910 in the area around the southern side of Lake Peigneur. Like Agnès Derouen’s family, all of the Boyancé’s married into families from neighboring communities, all of them had mixed racial ancestry, and all were Louisiana Creoles. Importantly, Beyoncé and Solange’s Louisiana Creole family have been in south Louisiana since before Louisiana was an American state. Her Broussard ancestors arrived on Bayou Têche in Summer 1765, led by brothers Joseph Broussard and Alexandre Broussard, also known as the “Beausoleil” brothers. They were the first of the Acadians to settle in Spanish colonial southwest Louisiana after their deportation from Nova Scotia at the hands of the British. Her Derouen (Drouin) ancestors arrived from Québec (then called Canada) around the same time, first settling in St. Charles Parish, then migrating to the Attakapas District in southwest Louisiana in the 1780s. ⁴Jean Boyancé II married Louise Dubois, daughter of Pierre Dubois and Adélaïde Trahan, 11 September 1866: Église Sainte-Marie-Magdeleine [St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church] (Abbéville, La.), marriages, vol. 2, p. 104. Jean Boyancé III, son of Jean II and Louise, was born 1 June 1873: St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, baptêmes, vol. 3, p. 198. Jean III died 6 June 1873: St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, sépultures, vol. 1, p. 27. Jean Boyancé II of Noaillac, France, died 27 July 1894, age 63: St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, sépultures, vol. 3, p. 40. His succession (probate) is dated 31 July 1894: Vermilion Parish Courthouse (Abbéville, La.), Clerk of Court, successions, no. 271. Angéline Élisabeth Green died 10 February 1885, age 61: St. Anne Catholic Church (Youngsville, La.), sépultures, vol. 1, p. 4. Alexandre Boyancé married Élisabeth Broussard on 26 January 1883: St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, mariages, vol. 3, p. 204; married Marie Olivier, daughter of Raphaël Joseph Olivier and Agathe Préférée, on 18 October 1900: Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church (Delcambre, La.), mariages, vol. 1, p. 50. Alexandre and Élisabeth’s children were Émilienne Boyancé, Pierre Dulva Boyancé, Louise Boyancé, Ozite Marie “Ozitha” Boyancé, Léa Marie Boyancé, and Marie Élisa “Eliza” Boyancé. Alexandre and Marie’s children were Charles Boyancé, Alexandre Boyancé II, Florence Boyancé, and Lumas Albert Boyancé.

Beyoncé, Solange, and their mother Célestine “Tina” Buyincé (the spelling changed when Lumas and Agnès moved to Galveston, Tex.) have every right to celebrate and make known their Creole identity, French and Creole languages, and Creole history, including their mixed European and African ancestry. Tina gave both of her daughters French given names (Beyoncé’s in honor of Tina’s maiden name), and Solange named her son Julez, an Americanized spelling of the French given name Jules. Their Cajun cousins, since Jim Crow, have disowned their close relatives of color, but a plethora of civil and parochial records from Louisiana prove that this is a recent rather than historic phenomenon. Honoring their heritage, Solange chose to relocate to New Orleans, where she enrolled her son Julez in a Francophone (French-language) school. He graduated from 5^th grade this year. As a proud mother, she shared his graduation speech, which he delivered in perfect French on her Instagram. It was a moment for any parent to celebrate, but Solange’s was uniquely special, in that she defied all expectations of people of different ethnic and cultural histories to assimilate Anglophone American culture. Enrolling Julez in a Francophone school ensures that the Creole culture that her grandparents Lumas and Agnès brought from rural southwest Louisiana persists in their family. They can be, and are, both Creole and American, and they honor both, as they should. Yet, when Solange shared Julez’s speech on Instagram, some Americans missed the boat entirely, questioning why Julez speaks French, whether he was of French descent, and insisting that Solange “guide him to read and study African history, culture, language, etc. The bible. His history!” Solange’s dignified response did not play into the ignorance that is widespread, and the visceral reaction their Creole heritage causes in some African Americans. If those who oppose the Knowles sisters’ celebration of their African American and Louisiana Creole heritage took the time to read and understand, perhaps they would be more willing to accept that not all people of color have the same history, experience, culture, and aspirations. Africans do not all share the same language, culture, religion, nation, identity, memory, or experience. Nor do all peoples of color in the United States. Mutual respect and understanding can only see us grow. Beyoncé and Solange defying pressures to forget their own history, culture, and identity are helping all of us to learn, grow, and breaking barriers between us through knowledge and understanding. Louisiana Creole history and culture may not be everyone’s, but it is Beyoncé and Solange’s; it is mine, too. Bien bon job Beyoncé and Solange, et merci bien !⁵For the story on Julez’s graduation, see Sydney Scott, “Solange Responds to Fan Who Questions Why Her Son Speaks French,” Essence, 26 May 2016, http://m.essence.com/2016/05/26/solange-responds-fan-who-questions-why-her-son-speaks-french.

– Christophe Landry